“Your mind is not your own. It is a complex amalgamation of all kinds of influences. The more you are identified with it, the further away you are from your True Being…..” Sadhguru

Please do click the link below the picture to see the chart of instructions to practice The Isha Kriya. This practice combines pranayama, meditation, chanting and it is a cumulative practice that adds and builds benefits as one continues the practice. Do check the archives to see the post with the video of Sadhguru explaining the benefits, as he gives true inspiration for one to embark upon the journey for Self-Realization. Please feel free to share this with family, friends and especially foes! Feel free to leave your comments here. Here’s to the Best You! Thank You Sadhguru and The Isha Volunteers! Namaste OM

On the occasion of the Jewish New Year and the Hindu Ganesha Chautri and Hope for all of us humans to evolve in such a way that we can truly embrace one another as ONE…please do view this video, share it and discuss with others, thanks. OM

Please do click the link below the picture to read what Sadhguru writes about the Murti or idols. Many misunderstand the murti as pagan, anti-God and Tower of Babel practices. Sadhguru explains that when folks create a deity they are not disillusioned they are clear they as humans are making a vehicle to transform and uplift the human energetic experience as pure respect for Divinity. Humans cannot make a God, or gods, but can learn, use and practice methods to elevate our experiences to become aligned and reach our divine birthright. When we say we are All One, we are a part of the One the Divine. There are many forces at play in our existence that when we are unconscious or not aware of how to keep our energies charged and aligned we become separate and apart from our own divinity. Practicing hatha yoga, meditative kriyas, chanting, doing Japa, are a few examples of methods that help keep our systems aligned properly. Also, allowing ourselves to be in charged sacred spaces for contemplation and use as actual Charging Stations are powerful aids. As well, murti or idols that are significant to a person are vehicles that help lift and organize the energies, especially when rituals are practiced. The ritual is a way to re-orient the practitioner’s mental, emotional, Auric, and physical energies. Take the Devi as Saraswati ( who embodies woman as teacher, teacher of the arts: writing, music, scholarly studies) when one acknowledges Saraswati they align these aspects within themselves as worthwhile, powerful and a blueprint guide to elevate their own capacities. There is a direct connection to those who allow themselves time to observe these practices and realizing successes in their own sphere, we are what we think, we become what we meditate upon. These are some of the distinctions between Judeo-Christian worship and Indic practices, as Judeo-Christian keeps the follower separate and below in status to their notion of God. In the Indic faiths the practitioner knows they are a part of the Divine in this life as a divine dance. When one believes they are one with divinity the ability to aspire to success with equanimity is achievable. Feel free to leave your ideas here in the comments section and do share this post with others. Thank you Sadhguru and The Isha Foundation for explaining the tenets of Classical Yoga with us. Namaste to All!

This is my Neti pot from Kaivalyadham Ashram, India, its ceramic, small, the right aperture for my nostrils and adorable. (Note: there are some plastic pots which are good for traveling too.)

Ayurveda is the sister scientific practice to hatha yoga. The science of keeping the life force at its optimal levels with natural tune-ups. Ayurveda is an intricate mandala (complete circle) of healing practices that braid together and form a potent synergy of rejuvenation and rebirth. Existing in our body, as well as, in all living organisms are the five elements organized in a particular pattern known as the doshas. (See the earlier post about how to learn about your Dosha- August 5th.) There are three main doshas: Vata, Pitta and Kapha and they relate to: air, fire and water principles. Ayurveda is a natural science that causes no harm and is used to uplift our own healing powers. The human body like all living organisms maintains a delicate homeostasis. This science of ayurveda is a process of balancing the doshas from effects of disease in a systematic act of cajoling, tempering, shocking and nurturing the body. In ayurveda excesses are never forcibly removed. An intricate weave of knowledge about the seasonal effects on the tissues, the precise time the dosha changes, the overall condition of the person, which phase of the moon is present, as well as the signals from nature all contribute to the findings of one’s constitution: well-being or lack of well-being. The mandala or full spectrum of practices may include: yoga postures, pranayama, Kriya/meditation, cleansing kriyas and healing treatments, and diet. This mandala (all-inclusive circle) of regimen followed with regularity and in conformance with nature (seasons, etc.) will not only restore health but allow us to live life at optimal levels. When practicing yoga on a regular basis, meaning that some continuity of the sadhana is maintained daily (pranayama, Kriya and/or asana) we then are able to claim our inherent birthright. Hence: Neti!!!

Jala Netiis the classical term for what is now called Neti pot use (as Oprah made so many aware and willing to try this safe nasal irrigation practice. For years I tried to get students to use the neti practice and was looked at like a Martian– I amgrateful for Oprah using her celebrity for health benefits.) It is a vessel that is filled with warm water used to wash/irrigate the nasal passages. There are plastic, ceramic and metal products on the market. One can even use a plastic water bottle. I prefer the ceramic as it can be boiled on the stove easily without any harmful particles breaking down like with plastic. On YouTube there are hundreds of how-to videos to see how to use the neti pot. I recommend starting with barely warm water only. Standing over the bathroom sink hold your head on an angle so that as you pass the water into one nostril a stream will flow out of the opposite nostril. And reverse for the other side. Sometimes it may feel like a big relief if a blockage is cleared, sometimes it may be shocking and tears may flow. The benefits are too many and I will list a few here but no matter what your first experience do try to stick with it as it gets better every time. Those with structural blockage and regular nose bleeds should not attempt this practice.

Benefits of Neti cleansing are many and include the following. Removal of mucus and pollution from nasal passages and sinuses which allows air to flow without obstructions. It helps prevent and manage respiratory tract diseases such as: asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis, and pulmonary tuberculosis. It helps to relieve allergies, colds and sinusitis. Various disorders of the eyes, ears, throat, hay fever, tonsillitis and inflammation of the adenoids and mucus membranes. Neti cleansing relieves muscular tension of the face, nervous ticks, and Bell’s palsy and helps the user to maintain a youthful facial appearance. It has a cooling and soothing effect on the brain and useful for those who suffer from epilepsy and migraines. It alleviates anxiety, anger and depression, removes drowsiness and makes the head feel fresh. Neti stimulates the various nerve endings in the nose, improving the activities of the brain. A balance is achieved between the right and left nostrils as well as the right and left brain hemispheres. This brings a state of harmony and balance throughout the entire body including circulation and digestion systems especially. It helps to awaken the third eye area for higher powers of intuition. Note that with regular daily use will bring about the effects stated above, do know that a one time process cannot affect changes so easily.

Now for some specifics on the neti practice. Remember to pick a pot that will not contaminate the water which is used for nasal irrigation. But I do recommend that one try with a plastic water bottle or small tea-pot before making any purchases. The Himalayan Institute has a kit that can be purchased online. I like the ceramic pots sold by Sinus Support.com (Baraka), as these are like art work – pottery with beautiful colors and the aperture is correct for the nose opening (I have purchased these for family and friends.) Some health food stores sell products made in China that don’t fit at all….they should have gone to the source India!!! (Once I was visiting a friend in Paris and they took me over to an artist’s home, while there I used their bathroom and was so impressed to see a pure silver neti pot above the sink!!! Of course I asked about it and they said when they were having some custom jewelry crafted in India they had this pot custom-made.)

Next thing is to place in your vessel warm water that is comfortable for your body temperature. After some time of regular use with only warm water then salt may be introduced. A special salt, not table salt, as it has to be fine enough to be absorbed into the fluid. For this one must purchase online or in a health store. The amount must be found that will ensure the proper osmotic balance to the body’s fluids so to minimize any irritation to the membranes. If any painful or burning sensation is felt the amount needs adjusting. Keep the mouth open while doing the cleansing and hold the head to one side as mentioned above. No force should be used. Just try to do a little for one side and reverse and take breaks in between, sit down, rest, blow your nose and continue again. It’s best to do this first thing after rising in the morning. It may be practiced twice or three times daily. Try not to practice directly after meals. If I notice any congestion beginning or I have been around any germs I want to stay clear of I may do three sets: water only, then salt and thirdly with a product called Vacho Veda (a Himalayan Institute product available online and in stores). For those who are yoga teachers, healers, healing therapists who have contact with others energies this is a good clearing tool so that you may stay free and clear, keeping your healing powers untainted and at a high level. I started my Autumn seasonal regimen today with Jala Neti and will add a few other components in the next few days. There are many other things that could be written and shared here about the Neti practice but I thought I would start with this, please do share your experiences and comments here. Do feel free to share this with family and friends so we may keep more folks free of unnecessary illness and discomfort. Namaskaram

Isha Foundation offers an online 7 part course “Inner Engineering.” The Shambavi Mahamudra is the SuperKriya that one is initiated into after completing the online course. This initiation program happens at the ashram in Tennessee, USA and India. Do click the link here to listen to Sadhguru explain about the powers of Shambavi. Then go to the Isha Foundation website and check out the links for Inner Engineering for more information. This is a wonderful yogic tool to tune up your energetic powers and to bring an amazing ongoing wave of peace and much more. Thanks for taking the time to visit this blog and thanks to Isha Foundation for sharing these classical hatha yogic tools with all of us….Namaste

We recite this invocation at every yoga sadhana: Take us from the unreal, to the real, take us from darkness to Light, Take us from death to immortality. This is from the ancient Brihadaranyak Upanishad, 1.3.28….

This reference about darkness and light relates to ignorance and knowledge. Ignorance, like darkness obscures true understanding. The remedy for darkness is light, and the remedy for ignorance is knowledge of one’s own true nature, our Divine Spirit.

The cultural significance is this festival is a way to enjoy and celebrate our Spiritual Birth, our Second Birth. Diwali celebrations take place all over the whole subcontinent of India, from north to south, east to west, from different religions from Hindu, Sikh to Jain and Christian, including Muslim as it is an agrarian harvest celebration and the business of farming includes all who consume. The festival spreads over five days, historically marked the end of the harvest season and beginning of the winter season. Farmers give thanks for their bounty and wealth. Lakshmi is the deity associated with wealth and is celebrated to bring continued good fortune for families.

Diwali, (spelled differently depending on the state and religious background) means lighting diyas (small clay vessels filled with oil and lit with cotton wicks). These lights are arranged in huge arrays in beautiful patterns like the rangoli drawings (like the background pictures on this homepage. The picture just above this text has tea light candles as any candle may be used and fire crackers are often lighted to celebrate the spark of our inner light.

The Yogic and Spiritual significance celebrates the realization of our own inner Light. Honoring, Atman, the pure, infinite and eternal Divine Energy which can be awakened in all people. This celebration of victory of good over evil signifies the victory of self-knowledge over ignorance, light over darkness. The awareness that we are much more than our physical body, but an infinite, ever-present Spirit. Every year people celebrate their birthday and Diwali celebrates their second birth…the Spiritual Awakening…our Inner Light…the true reality for All.

I read this as a post on Facebook…“Auditions are being held for you to be yourself…Apply within.”

May you choose to wake up and realize your Inner Light! HAPPY DIWALI!!!!!!!!!